Plan to use a Registered Building Practitioner

'Ensure a Registered Building Practitioner is a part of your plans' is the opening line for a new campaign launched by the Building Commission on 23 November 2007.

The campaign is designed to encourage you to use a Registered Building Practitioner. This helps to create better quality housing and improves your confidence in your building project.

Every building project, no matter how big or small, carries some sort of risk. By using a Registered Building Practitioner, you are engaging a qualified, knowledgeable and experienced professional.

Why must a Registered Building Practitioner be a part of your building plans?

Because only Registered Building Practitioners meet the legal requirements to carry out domestic building work over $5,000 in Victoria. You can be confident Registered Building Practitioners have the qualifications, knowledge and experience, and domestic building insurance (where works exceed $12,000).

Identifying a Registered Building Practitioner is easy too - just look for the logo or ask to see their official photo identification. To find a Registered Building Practitioner in your area, or to check a practitioner's registration, visit www.buildingcommission.com.au and run a search on Finding a Registered Building Practitioner. Alternatively, you can ring 1300 360 320.

The Registered Building Practitioner Logo
Look for the logo.

The benefit

By using a Registered Building Practitioner you can rest safe in the knowledge that you have a building professional who is qualified, knowledgeable, experienced, registered with the Building Practitioners Board and, importantly, covered by appropriate insurance, where applicable.

Registered Building Practitioners are:

  • Qualified
  • Knowledgeable
  • Experienced
  • Registered with the Building Practitioners Board
  • Covered by appropriate insurance where applicable.

So who needs to be a Registered Building Practitioner?

Anyone in the "business of building" must usually be registered with the Building Practitioners Board (BPB).

The Building Act 1993 requires people who carry out or undertake work in building to be registered as building practitioners with the BPB. Registered Building Practitioners are required to carry the appropriate insurance to provide consumers with better protection where works exceed $12,000. The BPB registers individuals not companies or businesses.

The Building Regulations 2006 outline the various categories and classes of building practitioners. The ability to be registered is based upon the nature and extent of the practitioner's qualifications and experience. The following categories and classes of building practitioners are currently required to be registered with the BPB:

  • Building surveyor
  • Building inspector (Unlimited/Limited)
  • Quantity surveyor
  • Engineer (Civil/Mechanical/Electrical/Fire Safety)
  • Draftsperson (Building design - architectural, interior, services)
  • Builder (Commercial builder - unlimited/limited)
  • Builder (Domestic builder - unlimited/limited/manager)
  • Builder (Demolisher - low rise buildings/medium rise buildings/unlimited)
  • Erector or supervisor (temporary structures - Class 1 and 2).

How can I find out more?

For more information about Registered Building Practitioners, see the brochure Are you a Registered Building Practitioner? The first question you should ask.